rethread is a Chrome extension that helps you save, organize, and search your AI chats. It works with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok. You can keep your conversations within reach without switching apps or losing track.
rethread stores your AI chat history directly in your browser. It adds a side panel in Chrome where you can quickly find past chats. The extension sorts conversations into folders and lets you search through them anytime. If you use multiple AI chat services, rethread keeps everything organized in one place.
- Windows 10 or later
- Chrome browser version 112 or higher
- Internet connection for initial setup and syncing
- At least 100 MB free disk space
- Save chats automatically while you talk to Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or Grok
- Search saved conversations by keyword or date
- Organize chats into folders and categories
- Access all saved chats from a Chrome side panel
- Works with Chrome’s latest Manifest V3 extension standard
- Simple interface designed for fast, easy use
- Anyone who uses AI chat tools regularly
- People who want to keep track of their conversations for later reference
- Users who want organized and searchable chat history without copying and pasting
- Those who prefer a sidebar tool while browsing or working in Chrome
Follow these steps to set up rethread on your Windows machine.
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Visit the rethread Releases page to download the extension.
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Find the latest version listed under "Assets" on the releases page. The file you need will have
.crxor.zipin the name. -
Click the file name to start downloading. Save it to a folder you can easily access, like your Desktop or Downloads.
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Open Chrome on your Windows PC.
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Go to the menu (three dots at the top-right corner) > More Tools > Extensions.
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Turn on Developer Mode. You will see this toggle switch near the top right of the page.
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Drag and drop the downloaded
.crxfile into the Extensions page. -
Confirm the prompts to add the extension.
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Once installed, you will see the rethread icon next to the address bar.
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Click the rethread icon to open the sidebar panel.
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Begin chatting with any supported AI service (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok) in Chrome.
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Your conversations will be saved automatically within the panel.
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Use the search bar at the top of the sidebar to find chats by keyword or date.
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Create new folders by clicking the folder icon in the sidebar to organize chats.
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Right-click any saved chat to rename, delete, or move it to a different folder.
The sidebar shows saved chats by default in chronological order. You can customize the view:
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Sort chats by newest or oldest.
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Filter chats by AI service (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok).
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Rename folders to suit your preferences.
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Backup chats by exporting them using the export feature in the settings menu.
To keep the extension working well, update rethread regularly:
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Visit the rethread Releases page.
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Download the newest
.crxor.zipupdate as described in the Getting Started section. -
Remove the old extension from Chrome Extensions page.
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Install the new version by drag-and-dropping, as before.
If you run into issues:
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Ensure Chrome is updated to the latest version.
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Restart the browser after installing or updating rethread.
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Disable other Chrome extensions if they interfere.
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Check your internet connection.
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Visit the repository issues on GitHub for known problems (requires basic browsing skills).
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Your saved chats stay on your local machine.
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The extension does not send your chats to external servers.
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Data syncs only happen through Chrome's secure mechanisms.
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You can clear all saved data from the sidebar settings at any time.
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Use descriptive folder names for easy sorting.
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Regularly export important chats as backups.
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Use keywords consistently in your chats to improve search results.
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Keep Chrome’s developer mode enabled only during installation or updating.